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Dr. Theresa Walls

We are sad to report that Dr. Theresa Walls died suddenly on Sunday, November 30th.Dr. Walls had been a lecturer for Health and Societies for more than ten years.

This is the obituary sent by her family:

Theresa A. Walls, DO, MBE, 65, of Lancaster, passed away at her residence on Sunday, November 30, 2014. Born in Englewood, NJ, she was the daughter of the late Matthew J. and Filomena Zuccaro Walls.

Dr. Walls was a practicing Psychiatrist who studied Biology and Theology at St. Peter’s University in Jersey City, NJ. She received her Doctor of Osteopathy degree from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her residency training at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. She also served for ten years as an Emergency Department physician. She completed her Master’s Degree in Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania and had taught Bioethics at St Joseph’s University and the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. She had also lectured at the University of Pennsylvania in the History and Sociology of Science Dept. Her research interests include psychiatry’s contribution to Bioethics, the changing doctor-patient relationship and the relationship of the rise of the religious right and bioethics. She had studied the characteristics of physicians who served on bioethics committees, which was the subject of her Master’s project.

Dr Walls had served as the Medical Director at the Ephrata Community Hospital since 2005. She had previously served there on staff as the Clinical Director and as a staff psychiatrist. Prior to Ephrata, she served as Medical Director for the former Community Hospital of Lancaster Mental Health Services for 6 years.

She has served as the chairperson of the Bioethics Committee at Ephrata Community Hospital and the former Community Hospital of Lancaster, was a member the Ethics Committee of Hospice and Community Care, the Bioethics Tribunal for the Diocese of Harrisburg, and the Board of the Samaritan Counseling Center. She was the recipient of the “Woman of Faith” award by the Diocese of Harrisburg.

Dr. Walls was a member of St. John Neumann Catholic Church, where she was involved in the St John Neumann Ensemble, playing guitar.

Friends will be received on Thursday, December 4, 2014 at St. John Neumann Catholic Church, 601 E. Delp Rd., Lancaster, PA from 5:30-7PM, with the Mass to follow at 7PM, the Rev. David Danneker as Celebrant.